My Vision on SDA’s Consulting the Witch of
Endor
The Anatomy of Corporate Responsibility and
The Laodicean Church
Part 4
“The evidence given one day, if rejected, may never be
repeated.” {RH September 16, 1873, par. 22}
“The angel with the writer's
ink horn is to place a mark upon the foreheads of all who are separated from
sin and sinners, and the destroying angel follows this angel (Letter 12,
1886).” {4BC 1161.5}
“Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice,
and to hearken than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as
iniquity and idolatry.” {1T 322.2}
1Sa 15:23 For
rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and
idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also
rejected thee from being king.
2Ch 33:6 And he
caused his children to pass through the fire in the valley of the son of
Hinnom: also he observed times, and used enchantments,
and used witchcraft, and
dealt with a familiar spirit, and with wizards: he wrought much evil in the
sight of the LORD, to provoke him to anger.
Gal 5:20
Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions,
heresies,
This is Part 4 of my vision. The Lord has been
pleased to show me many valuable sources and has instructed me to recount them
for His people. We are in very serious times, and God has deigned that much
good will come through a myriad of sources. God says He will pour out His
Spirit on ALL FLESH. This means that a special wooing of the Holy Spirit will
be visited upon ALL FLESH. Some will heed that wooing. Many will reject it and
it will never again be repeated to them. That is serious.
“The
evidence given one day, if rejected, may never be repeated.” {RH September 16, 1873, par. 22}
Joe 2:28 And it shall come to pass afterward, that
I will pour out my spirit upon all
flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men
shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions:
Act 2:17 And it shall come to pass in the last
days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and
your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your
old men shall dream dreams:
God is going to place His seal by the Man in Linen
ONLY on all who are SEPARATED FROM SIN AND SINNERS. That includes separation
from a once church militant that formed a new movement that removed God,
from “AMONG” itself. That new movement conspired with God’s fallen enemies in
1955, and when Israel conspired with His enemies in Jeremiah 11:9-15, that was
unpardonable sin. Why? How can you know that for sure? Because God told
Jeremiah he could pray for the people, but He (God) would not hear his prayers.
God also told Jeremiah in verse 15: What hath my beloved to do in mine house
since she hath wrought lewdness (apostasy) with many.
Jer 11:15
What hath my beloved [BRIDE] to do in mine house [Church], seeing she
[His once church militant] hath wrought lewdness [apostasy] with many, and the
holy flesh [Holy Spirit] is passed from thee? when thou doest evil, then thou
rejoicest.
What did the new movement do? She celebrated
employing the Celebration Movement that evolved straight out of Vatican II,
with all manner of lewdness. Ecumenical liaison with the fallen churches after
being called out of them, is unpardonable sin, Isaiah 8:9-12, where the only
option is being “BROKEN IN PIECES,” repeated three times for finality. Then in
Ezekiel 9:2, the slaughter weapons are defined in the marginal reference as “a
weapon of His breaking in pieces.” Ezekiel 9 is literally repeated because of
unpardonable sin apostasy.
Far More to Fear
From Within Than Without
We were fairly warned that we have FAR MORE to fear
from WITHIN than from without. Most have not understood the seriousness of the
length, breadth, width and overall scope of that warning and JUST HOW REAL IT
WAS/IS.
“We have far
more to fear from within than from without. The
hindrances to strength and success are far greater from the church itself than
from the world. Unbelievers have a right to expect that those who
profess to be keeping the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus, will do
more than any other class to promote and honor, by their consistent lives, by
their godly example and their active influence, the cause which they represent.
But how often have the
professed advocates of the truth proved the greatest obstacle to its
advancement! The unbelief indulged, the doubts expressed, the darkness
cherished, encourage the presence of evil angels, and open the way for the
accomplishment of Satan’s devices. {1SM 122.3}
Opening the Door
to the Adversary
“The adversary of souls is not permitted to read
the thoughts of men; but he is a keen observer, and he marks the words; he
takes account of actions, and skillfully adapts his temptations to meet the
cases of those who place themselves in his power. If we would labor to repress sinful thoughts and feelings,
giving them no expression in words or actions, Satan would be defeated; for he
could not prepare his specious temptations to meet the case.” {1SM
122.4}
“But how often do professed Christians, by their
lack of self-control, open the door to the adversary of souls! Divisions, and even bitter
dissensions which would disgrace any worldly community, are common in the
churches, because there is so little effort to control wrong feelings, and to
repress every word that Satan can take advantage of. As soon as an alienation of feeling
arises, the matter is spread before Satan for his inspection, and the
opportunity given for him to use his serpentlike wisdom and skill in dividing
and destroying the church. There is great loss in every dissension. Personal
friends of both parties take sides with their respective favorites, and thus
the breach is widened. A house divided against itself cannot stand.
Criminations and recriminations are engendered and multiplied. Satan and his angels
are actively at work to secure a harvest from seed thus sown. {1SM
123.1}
Note by Ron: Sadly, in the case of God’s first
chosen people, and in the case of His last chosen “Adventist” people, it has
been the leaders who caused the division and alienation by BRINGING IN APOSTASY
and forming a new movement, new organization that we were never to be any part
of. Such apostasy has meant stepping off the foundation that Christ laid for
His people. End note.
“Worldlings look on, and jeeringly exclaim, ‘Behold
how these Christians hate one another! If this is religion, we do not want it.’
And they look upon themselves and their irreligious characters with great
satisfaction. Thus they are confirmed in their
impenitence, and Satan exults at his success.” {1SM 123.2}
“The great deceiver has prepared his wiles for
every soul that is not braced for trial and guarded by constant prayer and living faith. As
ministers, as Christians, we must work to take the stumbling blocks out of the
way. We must remove every obstacle. Let us confess and forsake every sin, that the way of the Lord may be
prepared, that He may come into our assemblies and impart His rich grace.
The world, the flesh, and
the devil must be overcome. {1SM 123.3}
“We
cannot prepare the way by gaining the friendship of the world, which is
enmity with God; but by His help we can break its seductive influence upon
ourselves and upon others. We cannot individually or as a body secure ourselves from the
constant temptations of a relentless and determined foe; but in the strength of
Jesus we can resist them.” {1SM 123.4}
“From every member of the church a steady light may shine forth before
the world, so that they shall not be led to inquire, What do these people more
than others? There can be and
must be a withdrawal from conformity to the world, a shunning of all appearance
of evil, so that no occasion shall be given for gainsayers. We cannot escape
reproach; it will come; but we should be very careful that we are not
reproached for our own sins or follies, but for Christ’s sake.” {1SM
124.1}
“There is nothing that Satan fears so much as that
the people of God shall clear the way by removing every hindrance, so that the
Lord can pour out His Spirit upon a languishing church and an impenitent
congregation. If Satan had his way, there would never be another awakening,
great or small, to the end of time. But we are not ignorant of his devices. It is possible to resist his power.
When the way is prepared for the Spirit of God, the blessing will come. Satan
can no more hinder a shower of blessing from descending upon God’s people than
he can close the windows of heaven that rain cannot come upon the earth. Wicked men and devils cannot
hinder the work of God, or shut out His presence from
the assemblies of His people, if they will, with subdued, contrite
hearts, confess and put away their sins, and in faith claim His promises.
Every temptation, every
opposing influence, whether open or secret, may be successfully resisted, “not
by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the Lord of hosts” (Zechariah
4:6). {1SM 124.2}
Laodicea in the
Day of Atonement
Rev 3:14
And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things
saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of
God;
Rev 3:15 I
know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or
hot.
Rev 3:16 So
then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out
of my mouth.
Rev 3:17
Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need
of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor,
and blind, and naked:
Rev 3:18 I
counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and
white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness
do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve,
that thou mayest see.
Rev 3:19 As
many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.
The Lord showed me the following great ironies
involving the new movement and the antitypical Day of Atonement.
1.
The message to Laodicea is to the entire CORPORATE CHURCH OF LAODICEA.
2.
Is it not great irony that the new movement teaches we are in the
antitypical Day of Atonement, when the entire camp was to search out all its
sins and put them away, and the new movement refuses to repent of anything!
3.
The 1888 message was on the feasibility of RIGHTEOUSNESS BY FAITH,
overcoming all known sin by genuine faith in and love for Jesus Christ, and by
partaking of His Divine Nature. 2Pe 1:4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding
great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine
nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
4.
When one concludes that sin cannot be overcome this side of
glorification, one concludes that the GRACE POWER given for obedience (Rom.
1:5) and the Divine Nature indwelling the soul, is impotent and unable to
overcome the snaring temptations of Satan. If that is true, Satan has already
won the Great Controversy!
5.
God’s instruction to Laodicea to buy faith and love, gold tried in the
fire of Christ’s victorious success in overcoming the foe, is impotent and
impossible.
6.
The conclusion of the new movement that it is rich, increased with
goods, and in need of NOTHING. The church seems totally unaware that it is in
apostasy, let alone unpardonable sin apostasy. At any rate, the church leaders
will not admit that the professing “church” is in any apostasy.
7.
The new movement claims it is the ship that is going through to port
heaven, while its prophetess, Ellen G. White informed us that Laodicea is the
foolish virgin state of the church. The foolish virgins are not saved.
8.
If God instructed Laodicea to buy gold tried in the fire, faith and
love, and to repent, He meant that true repentance (the stopping of wilful sin)
is possible by the gifts of faith and love. To deny this is to deny the
Laodicean message to the church, which was done in 1888, and is still being
done by the new movement, which teaches that it is impossible to overcome all
known sin this side of glorification.
9.
There are some in Laodicea who believe it is impossible to overcome
known sin this side of glorification. However, they become corporately responsible
for the great sin of those who deny the efficacy of the empowerment of the Holy
Spirit, thus speaking against the Holy Ghost on a continuum basis, which is in
and of itself unpardonable sin.
10.
Every campmeeting and/or large meeting of professing Seventh-day
Adventists, the first thing leaders say from the rostrum is: “How great it is
to be a Seventh-day Adventist,” and all the people say amen. However, in light of the state of the unrepentant Laodicean church,
it will not be great to be a Seventh-day Adventists when the next literal
fulfillment of Ezekiel 9 occurs because the church has been disobedient to the
great truths it has been privy to.
11.
Ted Wilson, General Conference President, has said that the church
members are corporately responsible for the Holy Spirit gift to the church. He makes no mention that it is
because of the apostasy of the leaders that the Holy Spirit will not and cannot
dwell amidst that apostate new movement that has removed God. (1SM
204-205).
12.
Ted Wilson’s
statement confessing the reality of corporate responsibility: “It depends on
whether or not we are ready to humbly ask for revival and reformation in our
lives personally and
corporately as a church which will lead to the outpouring of the Holy
Spirit in the latter rain.”
13.
Ted Wilson and the leaders say that the church is not in apostasy. God
says that the church is corporately responsible for thinking it is rich,
increased with goods, and in need of NOTHING. God says the new movement is
WRETCHED, MISERABLE, POOR, BLIND, NAKED, and WITHOUT EYESALVE, SPIRITUAL
DISCERNMENT. Who do you believe? Ted or God?
14.
In addition to the Laodicean message demanding repentance, so does the
antitypical Day of Atonement, that is taught as a pillar doctrine of Adventism.
15.
God also says that the “watchmen” are ALL IGNORANT, ALL DUMB DOGS,
CANNOT UNDERSTAND, CANNOT BARK, ARE SLEEPING, LYING DOWN, LOVING TO SLUMBER,
GREEDY DOGS WHICH CAN NEVER HAVE ENOUGH, LOOK TO THEIR OWN WAY, EVERY ONE FOR HIS GAIN FROM HIS QUARTER. Instruct their
patrons to eat, drink and be merry and tomorrow will be better than today; TO
DRINK THE WINE OF BABYLON BY TEACHING THEM THE CHEAP GRACE GOSPEL OF BABYLON,
THAT THEY CANNOT OVERCOME SIN IN THIS LIFE. These are the REAL REASONS the Holy
Spirit won’t be found in the new movement Synagogue that has removed God.
16.
The dumb-dog watchmen will NEVER AGAIN BARK to show the House of Jacob
their sins per Isaiah 58:1. (5T 211). This places a
tremendous amount of blame on the leaders for the new movement NEVER receiving
of the Holy Spirit.
Isa 56:10 His watchmen are blind: they are all ignorant, they are all dumb dogs, they
cannot bark; sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber.
Isa 56:11 Yea, they are greedy dogs which can never
have enough, and they are shepherds that cannot understand: they all look to
their own way, every one for his gain, from his
quarter.
Isa 56:12 Come ye, say they, I will fetch wine, and we
will fill ourselves with strong drink; and to morrow shall be as this day, and
much more abundant.
“We are in the great day of atonement, when our sins are, by confession
and repentance, to go beforehand to judgment. God does not now accept a tame, spiritless
testimony from His ministers. Such a testimony would not be present truth. The message for this time must
be meat in due season to feed the church of God. But Satan has been seeking gradually to rob this message
of its power, that the people may not be prepared to stand in the day of the
Lord.” {1SM 124.3}
“In 1844 our great High Priest entered the most holy
place of the heavenly sanctuary, to begin the work of the investigative
judgment. The cases of the righteous dead have been passing in review before
God. When that work shall be completed, judgment is to be pronounced upon the
living. How precious, how important are these solemn moments! Each of us has a case pending in the
court of heaven. We are individually to be judged according to the deeds done
in the body. In the
typical service, when the work of atonement was performed by the high priest in
the most holy place of the earthly sanctuary, the people were required to
afflict their souls before God, and confess their sins, that they might be
atoned for and blotted out. Will any less be required of us in this antitypical
day of atonement, when Christ in the sanctuary above is pleading in behalf of
His people, and the final, irrevocable decision is to be pronounced upon every
case?” {1SM 125.1}
“What is our condition in this fearful and solemn
time? Alas, what pride is prevailing in the church, what hypocrisy, what
deception, what love of dress, frivolity, and amusement, what desire for the
supremacy! All these sins have
clouded the mind, so that eternal things have not been discerned. Shall we not search the Scriptures,
that we may know where we are in this world’s history? Shall we not become
intelligent in regard to the work that is being
accomplished for us at this time, and the position that we as sinners should
occupy while this work of atonement is going forward? If we have any regard for
our souls’ salvation, we must make a decided change. We must seek the Lord with
true penitence; we must with deep contrition of soul confess our sins, that
they may be blotted out.” {1SM 125.2}
“We must no longer remain upon the enchanted
ground. We are fast approaching the close of our probation. Let every soul
inquire, How do I stand before God? We know not how soon our names may be taken
into the lips of Christ, and our cases be finally decided. What, oh, what will
these decisions be! Shall we be counted with the righteous, or shall we be
numbered with the wicked?” {1SM 125.3}
The Church to
Arise and Repent
“Let the church arise, and
repent of her backslidings before God. Let the watchmen awake,
and give the trumpet a certain sound. It is a definite warning that we have to proclaim. God commands His servants, “Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like
a trumpet, and shew my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their
sins” (Isaiah 58:1). The attention of the people must be gained; unless
this can be done, all effort is useless; though an angel from heaven should come down and speak to
them, his words would do no more good than if he were
speaking into the cold ear of death.” {1SM 126.1}
The above statement is what the church should have
done before it formed a new movement in 1955, that was never repented of, and
which constituted unpardonable sin. God and Ellen White said that God’s
instruction to Jeremiah in Chapters 7 and 11, would be repeated at the end of
time:
“In the prophecy of Jerusalem's destruction
Christ said, "Because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax
cold. But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. And this
gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all
nations; and then shall the end come." This prophecy will again be fulfilled. The abounding
iniquity of that day finds its counterpart in this generation. So with the prediction in regard to the preaching of the
gospel. Before the fall of Jerusalem, Paul, writing by the Holy Spirit,
declared that the gospel was preached to "every creature which is under
heaven." Col. 1:23. So now, before the coming of the Son of man, the
everlasting gospel is to be preached "to every nation, and kindred, and
tongue, and people." Rev. 14:6, 14. God "hath appointed a day, in the
which he will judge the world." Acts 17:31. Christ tells us when that day
shall be ushered in. He does not say that all the world will be converted, but
that "this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a
witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come." By giving the gospel to the world it
is in our power to hasten our Lord's return. We are not only to look for but to
hasten the coming of the day of God. 2 Peter 3:12, margin. Had the church
of Christ done her appointed work as the Lord ordained, the whole world would
before this have been warned, and the Lord Jesus would have come to our earth
in power and great glory.” {Mar 19.1}
COUNTERPART:
"The Lord commanded one of his ancient servants, 'Pray not thou for this people [Jer. 7:16 and
11:9-15], neither lift up cry nor prayer for them neither make
intercession to me for I will not hear thee.' The prophet thus describes the
sins which had called forth this fearful denunciation: 'The prophets prophesy
falsely, and the priests bear rule by their means and my people love to have it so and what will ye do in the
end thereof?' 'From the least of them even unto the greatest of them, every one is given to covetousness and from the prophet even
unto the priest, every one dealeth falsely. They have healed also the hurt of
the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace, when there is no
peace.' The apostles
declare that this state of things will find its COUNTERPART in the last days.
Many have a form of godliness, but in their daily life deny the power thereof.
They have ceased to be convicted of their sins or alarmed at their state. They
say in their hearts, 'The church is flourishing. Peace and spiritual prosperity
are within her borders.' The words of the prophet may well apply to these
self-deceivers, 'They have chosen their own ways, and their soul
delighteth in their abominations. I also will choose their delusions, and will
bring their fears upon them." E. G. White, Second Advent
Review and Sabbath Herald, 11-07-82.
I was clearly shown that the words: “Pray not
thou for this people [Jer. 7:16 and 11:9-15] mean that the corporate church once
church militant has committed unpardonable sin.
COUNTERPART:
"The members of our churches are not
incorrigible; the fault is not so much to be charged upon them as upon their
teachers. Their ministers do not feed them." Special Testimonies, Series
A, No.1, p.46.
It is important to remember that
the corporate church will never repent of its abominations because the apostasy
will wax stronger until Jesus comes, but SOME INDIVIDUALS from all apostate
churches will repent on an INDIVIDUAL BASIS and be saved. This privilege is
granted because the leaders misled the people into apostasy. As the disciples
led those who believed in Christ, out of the apostate Temple organization, so
the Lord’s modern-day disciples will lead those who repent ON AN INDIVIDUAL
BASIS, out and into home churches. These faithful will maintain the TRUE
MESSAGE of the SDA pioneers. Thus, they do not form another 8th
church, which the apostate leaders charge them as doing. The faithful merely maintain the
true church militant, militating for the pure truth.
"Shall
the Lord be compelled to say, `Pray not thou for this people, neither lift up cry nor prayer for
them, neither make intercession to Me: for I will not hear thee' [Jeremiah
7:16]? `Therefore the showers have been withholden, and there hath been
no latter rain....Wilt thou not from this time cry unto Me, My Father, thou art
the guide of my youth' [Jeremiah 3:3-4]?...
We
are to be judged by the light that has been given us,(159) and we can find no
excuse by which to extenuate our course." Review and Herald, Vol. 3, p 69-70 (August 1,
1893). (Brackets by Ellen White)
COUNTERPART:
"In the time of the Saviour, the Jews had so covered over the precious
jewels of truth with the rubbish of tradition and fable, that it was impossible
to distinguish the true from the false. The Saviour came to clear away the
rubbish of superstition and long-cherished errors, and to set the jewels of
God's word in the framework of truth. What would the Saviour do if he should come to us now as he did to the
Jews? He would have to do a similar work in clearing away the rubbish of
tradition and ceremony. The Jews were greatly disturbed when he did this work [As are SDAs
today!]. They had lost sight of the original truth of God, but Christ brought
it again to view. It is our work to free the precious truths of God from
superstition and error." E.G. White, Review and
Herald, Vol. 2, 308.
Moving
as we were instructed, to take TIME, PLACE AND CIRCUMSTANCE into consideration,
the following statement NOW applies to the true church militant that has not
committed unpardonable sin.
“The
[TRUE] church must arouse to action. The Spirit of God can never come in
until she prepares the way. There should be earnest searching of heart. There
should be united, persevering prayer, and through faith a claiming of the
promises of God. There should be, not a clothing of the body with sackcloth, as
in ancient times, but a
deep humiliation of soul. We have not the first reason for
self-congratulation and self-exaltation. We should humble ourselves under the
mighty hand of God. He will appear to comfort and bless the true seekers.” {1SM
126.2}
The work is before us; will we engage in it? We
must work fast, we must go steadily forward. We must be preparing for the great
day of the Lord. We have no time to lose, no time to be engaged in selfish
purposes. The world is to be warned. What are we doing as individuals to bring the light before others? God
has left to every man his work; every one has a part
to act, and we cannot neglect this work except at the peril of our souls.
{1SM 126.3}
O my brethren, will you grieve the Holy Spirit, and
cause it to depart? Will you shut out the blessed Saviour, because you are
unprepared for His presence? Will you leave souls to perish without the
knowledge of the truth, because you love your ease too well to bear the burden
that Jesus bore for you? Let us awake out of sleep. “Be sober, be vigilant;
because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking
whom he may devour” (1 Peter 5:8).—The Review and Herald, March 22,
1887. {1SM 126.4}”
Note by Ron: In regard to
any repentance, revival and reformation in the church, and Spirit of Prophecy
statements concerning such, we must take time, place and circumstance and ALL
THE WEIGHT OF EVIDENCE into consideration. The Holy Spirit will indeed work a
primitive revival in ALL CHURCHES OF THE LAND, so that many will come out of
the apostate churches and be saved, but in spite of
the Holy Spirit’s success due to that primitive revival, we are admonished that
the apostasy of the leaders is going to WAX STRONGER UNTIL JESUS COMES:
Apostasy to Wax stronger Until Jesus Comes: "One thing it is certain
is soon to be realized, the great apostasy, which is developing and increasing and waxing stronger, and will continue to do so until the Lord shall descend from
heaven with a shout. We are to
hold fast the first principles of our denominated faith, and
go forward from strength to increased faith. Ever we are to keep the faith that
has been substantiated by the Holy Spirit of God from the earlier events of our
experience until the present time. We need now larger breadth, and deeper, more
earnest, unwavering faith in the leadings of the Holy Spirit. If we needed the
manifest proof of the Holy Spirit's power to confirm truth in the beginning,
after the passing of the time, we need to-day all the evidence in the
confirmation of the truth, when souls are departing from the faith and giving
heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils. There must not be any languishing
of soul now." (E.G. White, Special Testimonies, Series B, No. 7, p. 57).
"The enemy will set everything in operation to
uproot the confidence of the believers in the pillars of our faith in the
messages of the past,
which have placed us
upon the elevated platform of eternal truth, and which have established and
given character to the work. The Lord God of Israel has led out His people,
unfolding to them truth of heavenly origin." "The truth for this time
is precious, but those whose hearts have not been broken by falling on the Rock
Christ Jesus, will not see and understand what is truth.
They will accept that which pleases their ideas, and will begin to manufacture
another foundation than that which is laid. They will flatter their own vanity and esteem, thinking that
they are capable of removing the pillars of our faith,
and replacing them with pillars they have devised. This will continue
to be as long as time shall last." Notebook, Leaflets, pp. 61-62.
Ezekiel 9
Separation "The angel with
the writer's ink horn is to place a mark upon the foreheads of all who are separated from
sin and sinners, and the destroying angel follows this angel (Letter
12, 1886). {4BC 1161.5}
Many Adventists maintain that Ellen White never called
anyone out of the church. The above statement is one of the most clear and
straightforward calls for separation from the apostate church, which “delights
in its abominations.” The entire prefigure of the example of Jesus and His
disciples in separating from the apostate organization of their day, is
repeated. Ellen White said that Isaiah 37:31, 32 was written more for us than
the Jews, for the reason that we have their example.
“The
words of the prophet may well apply to these self-deceivers, 'They have chosen
their own ways, and their soul delighteth in
their abominations. I also
will choose their delusions, and will bring their
fears upon them.” E. G. White, Second Advent Review and Sabbath Herald, 11-07-82.
Isa 37:31
And the remnant that is escaped of the house of Judah shall again take
root downward, and bear fruit upward:
Isa 37:32
For out of Jerusalem shall go forth a remnant, and they that escape out
of mount Zion: the zeal of the LORD of hosts shall do this.
"The
Bible for Our Time.--Never are we absent from the mind of God. God is our joy
and our salvation. Each of the
ancient prophets spoke less for their own time than for ours, so that their
prophesying is in force for us. 'Now all these things happened unto them
for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of
the world are come' (1 Cor. 10:11). 'Not unto themselves, but unto us they did
minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached
the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven which things the
angels desire to look into' (1 Peter 1:12).'" E.G. White, Selected
Messages, Bk.
3, p. 338.
Prophets Wrote for Their Own and Our
Day.—“The last books of the Old Testament show us workers taken from the
laborers in the field. Others were men of high ability and extensive learning,
but the Lord gave them visions and messages. These men of the Old Testament
spoke of things transpiring in their day, and Daniel, Isaiah, and Ezekiel not only spoke of things that
concerned them as present truth, but their sights reached down to the future,
and to what should occur in these last days.”--Letter 132, 1898. {3SM
419.5, 420}
“The true people of God are now
bound up for the heavenly garner. The true people of God are now pulling apart,
and the tares are being bound in bundles ready to burn. Decided
positions will be taken.… The
Lord in great mercy has sent messages of warning to them [self-indulgent and
controlling leaders], but they would not listen to reproof. Like the
enemy who rebelled in heaven, they do not like to hear, do not correct the wrong they have done but
become accusers, declaring themselves misused and unappreciated.” (Lt.
13, 1892, in The Ellen G. White 1888 Materials, p. 995)
“Dark hours of trial are before the church
because they have not obeyed the warnings and reproofs and counsel of God. What a bewitching power comes
upon human minds to do contrary to the oft repeated will of God, and close the
eyes and stop the ears, when Jesus is calling to them to hear His voice. He
says, “My sheep hear My voice.” … Before the great trouble shall come upon the
world such as has never been since there was a nation, those who have faltered and who would ignorantly lead
in unsafe paths will reveal this before the real vital test, the last proving,
comes, so that whatsoever they may say WILL NOT be regarded as voicing the True Shepherd. The time of our educating will soon be over. We have
no time to lose in walking through clouds of doubt and uncertainty because of
uncertain voices. (Lt. 13, 1892, in The Ellen G. White 1888 Materials,
p. 1002)
“Your iniquities have turned away these things, and your sins have
withholden good things from you. For among my people are found wicked men: they lay wait, as he that
setteth snares; they set a trap, they catch men. As a cage is full of birds, so
are their houses full of deceit: therefore they are
become great, and waxen rich. They are waxen fat, they shine: yea, they overpass the deeds of the
wicked: they judge not the cause, the cause of the fatherless, yet they
prosper; and the right of the needy do they not judge. Shall I not visit for
these things? saith the LORD: shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation as
this? A
wonderful and horrible thing is committed in the land; the prophets prophesy
falsely, and the priests bear rule by their means; and my people love to have
it so: and what will ye do in the end thereof?” (Jer. 5:25–31)
“Unless those who can help in _____ are aroused to a sense of
their duty, they will not recognize the work of God when the loud cry of the
third angel shall be heard. When light goes forth to lighten the earth, instead
of coming up to the help of the Lord, they will want to bind about His work to
meet their narrow ideas. Let me tell you that the Lord will work in this last
work in a manner very much out of the common order of things, and in a way that
will be contrary to any human
planning. There will be those among us who will always want to control
the work of God, to dictate even what movements shall be made when the work
goes forward under the direction of the angel who joins the third angel in the
message to be given to the world. God will use ways and means by which it will be seen that He is taking
the reins in His own hands. The workers will be surprised by the simple
means that He will use to bring about and perfect His work of righteousness.… (Testimonies to Ministers, p. 299).
“Let us drive this point solidly home—it will not be the
organization, under the auspices of conference leadership, that closes the
work. There is a direct word of the Lord on this, underscoring clearly the
direct parallel between ancient Israel and the modern Israel of the Seventh-day
Adventist organization: In His Word the Lord declared what He would do for
Israel if they would obey His voice. But the leaders of the people yielded to
the temptations of Satan, and
God could not give them the blessings He designed them to have, because they
did not obey His voice but listened to the voice and policy of Lucifer.
This experience will be repeated in the last years of the history of the people
of God, who have been established by His grace and power. Men whom He has
greatly honored will in the closing scenes of this earth’s history pattern
after ancient Israel.” (Ms. 5, 1904, in
Manuscript Releases, vol. 13, p. 379) Quoted from Kevin Straub’s Of the Times and Seasons, last chapter.
“Already the judgments of God are abroad in the land, as seen in
storms, in floods, in tempests, in earthquakes, in peril by land and by sea. The great I AM is speaking to
those who make void His law. When God’s wrath is poured out upon the
earth, who will then be able to stand? Now is the time for God’s people to show
themselves true to principle. When the religion of Christ is most held in
contempt, when His law is most despised, then should our zeal be the warmest
and our courage and firmness the most unflinching. To stand in defense of truth
and righteousness when the majority forsake us, to fight the battles of the
Lord when champions are few—this will be our test. At this time
we must gather warmth from the coldness of others, courage from their
cowardice, and loyalty from their treason. The nation will be on the side of
the great rebel leader.” {5T 136.2}
“Some will be asking the question, ‘Then where do we take the
people who shall receive the third angel’s message?’ It will be a time when things will return to the
conditions of the early church. We will have to gather in small groups, in
homes, and in rented rooms and buildings. The time will surely come when
gathering in this way will be absolutely necessary
because of persecution. We should be working now to establish centers of
assembly that are safe havens for continued studies, free from the interference
of those who would control what the people should have and what they should
not.” Straub, Kevin. Of the Times and
Seasons (Kindle Locations 13855-13860). Aspect Books. Kindle Edition.
In the above statement, it is sad that Kevin Straub does not
realize that the time he speaks
of, “when things will return to the conditions of the early church,” are
already here. I personally told Kevin on more than one occasion that the
first reason for separation is because it is IMPOSSIBLE to unite with the
corrupt and remain/become pure, and to mature as Christians. Kevin attributes
separation ONLY to persecution that will come later. That is a serious mistake.
"It
is IMPOSSIBLE for you to unite with those who are corrupt, and still remain
pure. (II Corinthians 6:14-15 quoted). God and Christ and the heavenly host
would have men know that if he unites with the corrupt
he will become corrupt." E. G. White, Review and Herald, Vol. 4, p. 137.
Reasons for Separation in
Jeremiah’s Day
Kevin
Straub intimates that separation occurs ONLY when persecution comes. That is
not true. My Angel of the Lord, reminded me of the reasons
separation occurred in the past, and instructed me that this is a VERY
IMPORTANT matter for God’s true people to discern and be ready to elaborate
upon:
1.
Jesus and His disciples separated from a religion of forms and
ceremonies; a religion that was in apostasy. Why? Because it is impossible to
unite with those who are corrupt, and still remain
pure. (II Cor. 6:14, 15).
2.
Jesus’ first act was to “gather out” those who would take the gospel to
the world. Desire of Ages, p. 232. The first act of His ministry in A.D.
27, was to “gather out” His disciples, His bride (DA 179), and there was no
persecution at that time.
3.
The bride of Christ cannot be defiled with women (apostate churches)
Revelation 14:1-5.
4.
In Christ’s Object Lessons, p. 405, Jesus took His bride from
her father’s house, the Synagogue of Satan, to His own house, the church in
heaven, by faith, Heb. 12:22, 23. Early Writings, pp. 251 and 255. While
Jesus is in the MOST Holy Place, He is married to the New Jerusalem,
Philadelphia, His bride, the 144,000. Only they go into the Temple on Mt. Zion.
EW p. 19, and Revelation 3:10-12. Jesus cannot be married to a bride that is a
MEMBER of an apostate church that delights in her abominations. That should be
empirically discerned.
5.
In Jeremiah 11:9-15, after God told Jeremiah to NO LONGER PRAY FOR
ISRAEL because they had committed unpardonable sin apostasy by conspiring with
His enemies, in verse 15, God asks the question: “What hath my BELOVED [BRIDE]
to do in mine house (church) since she [the apostate church] hast wrought
lewdness with many.” Verse 15. So the reason for the
bride no longer being at God’s once house, is because the church wrought
lewdness apostasy with many by conspiring with God’s enemies. THIS HAD NOTHING
TO DO WITH PERSECUTION, which is the only reason Kevin Straub cites for
separation. I asked the Lord why Kevin made such a serious and obvious mistake,
and I was shown that it was/is because he wants a larger potential audience for
selling his book, as he relies on that source for a living. This is another
reason why I warn you to be especially wary when any source you read has wares
for sale. This does not mean that all bookmakers are deceptive, but there is a
strong temptation to not say anything that would preclude book sales when the
“wares” involve a book or books.
6.
Why did Paul separate his followers? Was it because of persecution?
Nay! "And as they
persisted in their rejection of the gospel the apostle (Paul) went into
the synagogue, and spake boldly for the space for three months, disputing and
persuading the things concerning the kingdom of God. But when divers were hardened, and believed not, but
spake evil of that way before the multitude, he departed from them, and
separated the disciples, disputing daily in the school of one Tyrannus."
Acts, 19:8, 9.
"Fearing that the faith
of the believers would be endangered by continued association with these
opposers of the truth, Paul separated from them, and gathered the disciples
into a distinct body." E.G. White, Acts of the
Apostles, p.
286.
7.
In Desire of Ages, p. 232, the only reason given as to why true
reformers have separated from the church of their fathers, is because the
ecclesiastical leaders would not tolerate light. That is why Adventists left
the churches of their fathers in 1844. SDA leaders will not tolerate light
today. If you doubt this, just try giving them light in their churches.
8. Why did God’s faithful in the
times of Shiloh separate? Was it because of persecution? "The recreant priests added
licentiousness to the dark catalogue of their crimes yet they still polluted by
their presence the tabernacle of the Lord, and, laden with sin, dared to come
into the presence of a holy God. As the men of Israel witnessed the corrupt
course of the priests, they thought it safer for their families not to come up
to the appointed place of worship. Many went from Shiloh with their peace disturbed, their indignation
aroused, until they at last determined to offer their sacrifices themselves,
concluding that this would be fully as acceptable to God, as to sanction in any
manner the abominations practiced in the Sanctuary." E.G. White, The Signs of the
Times, vol. 1,
p. 264, col. 3, December 1, 1881. The faithful left because of the abominations
practiced in the Sanctuary by the recreant priests. Why did Ellen White give this EXAMPLE for separation?
Was it just to take up space? No, it was for the instruction of God’s people,
as to when to separate.
9.
It is impossible for the wheat to mature amongst thorns, THOSE WHO
COMMIT OPEN SIN APOSTASY: "Thorns
sprung up.--The thorns
made it impossible for the wheat to mature (see Luke 8:14). In the
same way secular interests prevent the fruits of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22, 23)
from reaching maturity. Religion is relegated to the subordinate position of
being only one interest among many. For lack of cultivation it withers and
eventually dies. That which the thorny-ground hearers lack is a moral
transformation [E.G. White, Christ's
Object Lessons, p. 50] To them, justification is the sum and
substance of religion, and they fail to realize that the Christian life
consists essentially in the process known as sanctification--the process by
which evil traits and tendencies are replaced by the perfect life-pattern of
Jesus Christ." Seventh-day Adventist
Bible Commentary, vol. 5, 405.
This is precisely what New Movement Seventh-day Adventists (Selected Messages, vol. 1, 204-205),
teach—THAT THE SUM AND SUBSTANCE OF RELIGION IS JUSTIFICATION, and that
sanctification—the overcoming of all known sin this side of glorification IS
IMPOSSIBLE. Are there some in the new movement who don’t subscribe to that
error? Yes, but they are corporately responsible for those who teach this
abominable heresy.
“... The Lord will not write as wise those who cannot distinguish between a
tree that bears thorn-berries and a tree that bears olives. {EGW, RH, September
7, 1897 par. 15}
10.
Sarah Peck on Separation: Sarah Peck was a close friend of Ellen White.
She wrote a book on the Sanctuary, entitled: The Path to the Throne of God.
Here is her teaching on separation:
Separation Come out -- The
Call to Come Out of the Hebrew Church. The preaching of the gospel of a crucified, risen,
and ascended Lord was to begin at Jerusalem. Luke 24:47. On the day of
Pentecost the apostles had been given "tongues like as of fire," Acts
2:3, and through this zeal of the Spirit-filled apostles thousands of the honest in heart
responded to the call to come out of the new fallen Hebrew church. Among others, the great and learned
apostle Paul left the Hebrew church and threw all his talent and power into
preaching the gospel of a crucified, risen, and ascended Lord. "I
determined," he said, "not to know anything among you, save Jesus
Christ, and Him crucified." I Cor. 2:2. Sarah Elizabeth Peck, The Path
to the Throne of God, p. 207.
Sarah Peck
“Elder W. C. White: It is known
by everybody that Sister Peck has had a broad experience in teaching, and that
she has had four years’ experience with Mother, dealing with her writings,
helping to prepare the book Education. My greatest interest for the school has
not been my own family, neither has it been simply the St. Helena Church.”{6MR 363.3}
Sara Peck was a personal
acquaintance of Ellen White. She wrote one of the best treatises on the
Sanctuary Service, it is on my Website under The Path to the Throne of God. Her
statement above is proven by Biblical, the SOP, and historical fact. And even
before the Day of Pentecost, Christ "gathered out" [HIS DISCIPLES]
those who would take the gospel to the world, Desire of Ages, 232. Why?
Because God says it is IMPOSSIBLE to unite with the corrupt and remain (or
become) pure, and for the wheat to mature amongst THORNS, which differ from
TARES in that the THORNY GROUND HEARERS are open sinning apostates.
The disciples
of Christ were removing faithful followers from the apostate Temple, for 36
years before the Ezekiel 9 destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70. First, Christ
gathered out the disciples in A.D. 27, those who would give the gospel to the
world. Desire of Ages, 232. Then,
beginning in A.D. 34, when the 490 years of Israel’s probation was over (Daniel
9), the disciples began to gather faithful Christian into home churches. The
Lord has shown me that we are now in the parallel to that time. It should be
obvious to anyone with sufficient spiritual
discernment that there is absolutely no virtue in joining a new movement that
has removed God, (1SM 204-205), and Kevin fully admits that the new movement
has taken over the once church
militant.
11.
"We should
never give sanction to sin by
our words, our deeds, our silence or our presence." Desire of Ages, 152.
It is
clearly giving sanction to sin by our MEMBERSHIP PRESENCE in a new movement
that “removed God,” (1SM 205), pillar
doctrines, especially in consideration of the fact that the only other master
when God is removed is Satan.
12.
"Even though you may not be able to speak a word to those who are
working on wrong principles, leave them. Your withdrawal and silence may do more than words. Nehemiah refused to associate with
those who were untrue to principle, and he would not permit his workmen to
associate with them. The love and fear of God were his safeguard-Dare to
be a Daniel, Dare to stand
alone. Thus
as did Moses, you will endure the seeing of Him who is invisible. But a
cowardly and silent reserve before evil associates, while you listen to their devices makes you one
with them. Come
out from among them and be separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the
unclean thing; and I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you, and ye
shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty." Review &
Herald Vol. 4, p. 42.
13.
"The Lord Jesus will always have a chosen people to serve Him.
When the Jewish people rejected Christ, the Prince of life. He took from them
the kingdom of God and gave it unto the Gentiles. God will continue to work on
this principle with every branch of His work. When a church proves
unfaithful to the work of the Lord, whatever their position may be, however
high and sacred their calling, the Lord can no longer work with them. Others
are then chosen to bear important responsibilities. But, if these in turn
do not purify their lives from every wrong action, if they do not establish pure
and holy principles in all their borders, then the Lord will grievously afflict
and humble them and, unless they repent, will remove them from their place and
make them a reproach.
God is not
'worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed any thing' (Acts 17:25).” E.
G. White, The Upward Look, 131.
14.
Persecution will come AS A RESULT OF SEPARATION. It is true that all
who separate will suffer rejection from family and friends. So
persecution comes as a RESULT of separating, but that is all part of the
terrible ordeal of the shaking.
It is a fact of history that
the Jews feared that Christ would take away their power and prestige because He
was taking people away from the apostate Temple organization. Separation
occurred first, and then the persecution began. Along the very same theme, A.
T. Jones quoted Luther as saying that the Catholic church didn’t care what
anyone said about it as long as they didn’t take away
members and money. It was the same way with Jesus and the apostate Temple. It
is the same way today with the apostate new movement masquerading as the
Seventh-day Adventist church.
15.
The following section down to the citing of the reference from Kevin
Straub’s book, is quoted from that book. In this section, it will be seen that
Kevin contradicts himself by concluding that in every reform, there is
opposition (persecution) from the establishment. So, initially, the truth of
the matter is that REFORM AND SEPARATION causes the persecution and not the
other way around.
“In every reform,
there is opposition from the establishment. All reformers have had to bear
stripes on their back. This means that we must be willing to receive
persecution. Jesus gathered out His disciples before the persecution began.
Then, in A.D. 34, the disciples gathered out faithful followers of Christ, into
Home Churches.
The
prophets who came to ancient Israel were rejected, tortured, and killed. Yet,
in the days of Christ, the leaders could say, “If we were in those days we would not have done to our prophets the way that
they did.” Nonetheless, Jesus said to them, “You are indeed doing the same
thing to Me, so all of the guilt which comes upon the fathers also rests upon
you.”
This
is what is happening also in Adventism, and, although some think that a great repentance is coming to
the denomination, we would want to carefully examine that claim for
truthfulness.
There
has therefore been progressive “shaking” in the Adventist world. It is not because of the message,
per se, but is, rather, because the giving of the “straight testimony” excites
the ire of ecclesiastical authority, and their attempt to stand in the way of
the message causes a shaking among God’s people. The leaders are shaken out,
and those who follow them without studying for themselves are also shaken out,
though they all together may continue on as faithful
members, leading out in church and attending church and contributing to the
financial support of the institution and her programs.
We
know the familiar testimony from Early Writings, p. 270, and have
discussed it in this book. The shaking therein described has been underway
since the time of the alpha of apostasy and has only intensified during the
time of the omega, which got underway in earnest in the mid-twentieth century.
In the environment of the modern shaking
time, we will hear a lot about “off-shoots,” and those who stand for the truth
would be labeled as “off-shoots.” What is the definition of an “off-shoot?” Is it not self-evident? An
“off-shoot” is that which veers away from the trunk or main stem of the plant.
The
church, we are told, is the “pillar and ground of the truth” (1 Tim. 3:15). Therefore, any time anyone “shoots off” of the truth—and not off of an
organization—he or she is an “off-shoot.” Stand firm on the truth—the
truth as it is in Jesus—without regard for what people say about you or do to
you. Stand firm for the truth,
and you cannot be an “off-shoot.” Just walk straight in the consecrated
path of Jesus.
Ever
since 1964 and even earlier, more and more Adventists have been exposed to the
message of Jones and Waggoner, and many have accepted the wonderful light. It
may be that some readers are now understanding these things for the first time.
It may be that your mind is being significantly agitated. You are finding out that God
sent your church a message and that it was not
heeded. Do not wait for your church to tell you about it. It is your
responsibility to go and find out what that message has for you, what it means
to you, and how you can be part of the people God is raising up to proclaim the
last message of mercy to the world.
Some
of those who have picked up the message have continued to walk in the advancing
light of God’s glory according to Hosea. Come, and let us return unto the LORD:
for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up.
After two days will he revive us: in the third day he will raise us up, and we
shall live in his sight. Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the LORD:
his going forth is prepared as the morning; and he shall come unto us as the
rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth. (Hosea 6:1–3)
The
glorious messages of the righteousness of Christ and of the knowledge of the
character of our God are doing a great work of preparing the people who are
following on to know the Lord. This is evidence enough that we are now
advancing even beyond the third day of Hosea 6:1–3, which ended in 2004, and
that we are, in fact, moving into the very time of the latter rain baptismal
outpouring of the Holy Spirit, the generation of the restoration. Let us
determine, each one, by the grace of God and in the power of the risen Christ
through the Holy Ghost, to rise up to the occasion and
strive to be among the 144,000. We are here on the verge of eternity. We are surely the final
generation. We have come to the kingdom for such a time as this.”
Straub, Kevin. Of the Times and Seasons (Kindle Locations 13899-13901).
Aspect Books. Kindle Edition.
End
of quoting Kevin Straub’s book.
Conclusions:
Revival
and reform have always been the impetus for persecution. Which came first,
Luther or the Protestant separation from the Catholic church? You well know the
answer! This flies in the face of Kevin Straub’s conclusion that ONLY
PERSECUTION is the reason for separation. The following statement attests
otherwise as well.
Jesus
FIRST gathered out those who would take the gospel to the world. That was the
cause of persecution. He was taking away men and monetary support. True
Reformers in every succeeding generation have done the same. Ellen White calls
for more of that type of REFORMERS in the following statement.
"The
Sanhedrin had rejected Christ's message and was bent upon His death therefore Jesus departed from Jerusalem, from the
priests, the temple, the religious leaders, the people who had been instructed
in the law, and turned to another class to proclaim His message, and to gather out those who should carry the
gospel to all nations.
As
the light and life of men was rejected by the ecclesiastical authorities in the
days of Christ, so it has been rejected in every succeeding generation. Again and again the history of Christ's
withdrawal from Judea has been repeated. When the Reformers preached the
word of God, they had no thought of separating themselves from the established church but
the religious leaders would not tolerate the light, and those that bore
it were forced to seek another class, who were longing for the truth. In our day few of the professed followers of
the Reformers are actuated by their spirit. Few are listening for the
voice of God, and ready to accept truth in whatever guise it may be presented. Often those who follow in the steps
of the Reformers are forced to turn away from the churches they love, in order
to declare the plain teaching of the word of God. And many times
those who are seeking for light are by the same teaching obliged to leave the
church of their fathers, that they may render obedience." E.G. White, Desire of Ages, 232.
· First act of Christ’s
ministry—The gathering out of those who would take the gospel to the world.
Then the disciples gathered out all Christians. This took men and money away
from the apostate church. This is really what began the persecution. This, and
the truth that took away from the prestige of the leaders by the truth exposing
their errors.
· Reformers have separated from
the church of their fathers in every succeeding generation since Christ, for
ONE REASON: The ecclesiastical leaders would not tolerate light. They won’t
tolerate it now either! If you think they will, just try!
· Ellen White is CLEARLY calling
for more Reformers to be actuated by the Spirit of past reformers who separated
from the church of their fathers.
· Those who give the PLAIN AND
PRESENT TRUTH are rejected.
· By antichrist errors in the
very Baptismal VOWS, all who seek to render obedience would be obliged to leave
the new movement SDA church.
· Are you willing to make
antichrist VOWS in allegiance to an omega of apostasy new movement formed
“among,” Adventists, which we were never to join?
· The Trinity Doctrine is so
antichrist that it sweeps away the entire Christian economy, just as the alpha
heresy on the Godhead did.
· “The evidence given one day, if rejected, may never be
repeated.” {RH September 16, 1873, par. 22}
· Choose ye THIS DAY, to serve God,
or the antichrist. Your salvation or not depends upon it.
In the Name of the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob,
R. William Beaulieu
Addendum:
I include this for the SDA Physician who thinks it
is sadistic to warn God’s people of Ezekiel 9 slaughter.
Eze 3:17 Son of man, I have made thee a watchman unto
the house of Israel: therefore hear the word at my
mouth, and give them warning from me.
Eze 3:18 When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt
surely die; and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked
from his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked man shall die in his
iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand.
Eze 3:19 Yet if thou warn the wicked, and he turn not
from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but
thou hast delivered thy soul.
Eze 3:20 Again, When a righteous man doth turn from
his righteousness, and commit iniquity, and I lay a stumblingblock
before him, he shall die: because thou hast not given him warning, he shall die
in his sin, and his righteousness which he hath done shall not be remembered;
but his blood will I require at thine hand.
Eze 3:21 Nevertheless if thou warn the righteous man,
that the righteous sin not, and he doth not sin, he shall surely live, because
he is warned; also thou hast delivered thy soul.
Eze 3:22 And the hand of the LORD was there upon me;
and he said unto me, Arise, go forth into the plain, and I will there talk with
thee.
Eze 3:23 Then I arose, and went forth into the plain:
and, behold, the glory of the LORD stood there, as the glory which I saw by the
river of Chebar: and I fell on my face.
Eze 3:24 Then the spirit entered
into me, and set me upon my feet, and spake with me, and said unto me,
Go, shut thyself within thine house.
Eze 3:25 But thou, O son of man, behold, they shall
put bands upon thee, and shall bind thee with them, and thou shalt not go out
among them:
Eze 3:26 And I will make thy tongue cleave to the
roof of thy mouth, that thou shalt be dumb, and shalt not be to them a
reprover: for they are a rebellious house.
Eze 3:27 But when I speak with thee, I will open thy
mouth, and thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; He that heareth,
let him hear; and he that forbeareth, let him
forbear: for they are a rebellious house.
Same Responsibility as Ezekiel
“So
far as his opportunities extend, every one who has received the light of truth
is under the same solemn and fearful responsibility as was the prophet of
Israel, to whom the word of the Lord came, saying: "Son of man, I have set
thee a watchman unto the house of Israel; therefore thou shalt hear the word at
my mouth, and warn them from me. When I
say unto the wicked, O wicked man surely die; if thou dost not speak to warn
the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his
blood will I require at thine hand.
Nevertheless, if thou warn the wicked of his way to turn from it; if he do not turn from his way, he shall die in his iniquity, but
thou has delivered thy soul.” Eze 33:7-9. The Great
Controversy, p. 459.
The
Lord showed me that the leaders agree with the SDA physician who thinks it is
sadistic to warn God’s people of Ezekiel 9 slaughter, because they believe the Lord is too merciful to
visit His people in judgment.
"Here
we see that the church the Lord's sanctuary was the first to feel the stroke of
the wrath of God. The ancient men, those to whom God had given great light and
who had stood as guardians of the spiritual interests of the people, had
betrayed their trust. They had taken the position that we need not look for
miracles and the marked manifestation of God's power as in former days. Times
have changed. These words strengthen their unbelief, and they say: The Lord will not do
good, neither will He do evil. He is too merciful to visit His people in
judgment. Thus "Peace and safety" is the cry from men who will never
again lift up their voice like a trumpet to show God's
people their transgressions and the house of Jacob their sins. These
dumb dogs that would not bark are the ones who feel the just vengeance of an
offended God. Men, maidens, and little children all perish together." E.G.
White, Testimonies for the Church, Vol. 5, p. 211.
The
Lord showed me that it is sadistic NOT to warn His people of the impending
judgment of Ezekiel 9 slaughter, and that in the prefigure of A.D. 70, true
prophets warned God’s people of that terrible debacle, while the apostate
leaders told the people that Jerusalem and the Temple were the Lord’s and that
the gates of hell would never prevail against them, and that the Romans would
never penetrate the 24ft. thick door to the city of Jerusalem. The leaders
hired false prophets to tell the people this as well. GC, Chapter 1.
The
Desire of Ages,
page 104
"He saw his people deceived, self-satisfied,
and asleep in their sins. He longed to rouse them to a holier life. The message that God had given
him to bear was designed to startle them from their lethargy,
and cause them to tremble because of their great wickedness.
Before the seed of the gospel could find lodgment, the soil of the heart must
be broken up. Before they
would seek healing from Jesus, they must be awakened to their danger from the
wounds of sin.
God does not
send messengers to flatter the sinner. He delivers no message of peace to lull
the unsanctified into fatal security. He lays heavy burdens upon the conscience
of the wrongdoer, and pierces the soul with arrows of
conviction. The ministering angels present to him the fearful judgments of God
to deepen the sense of need, and prompt the cry, “What must I do to be saved?”
Then the hand that has humbled in the dust, lifts up
the penitent. The
voice that has rebuked sin, and put to shame pride and ambition, inquires with
tenderest sympathy, “What wilt thou that I shall do unto thee?” When the
ministry of John began, the nation was in a state of excitement and discontent
verging on revolution.. At the removal of Archelaus,
Judea had been brought directly under the control of Rome. The tyranny and
extortion of the Roman governors, and their determined efforts to introduce the
heathen symbols and customs, kindled revolt, which had been quenched in the
blood of thousands of the bravest of Israel. All this intensified the national
hatred against Rome, and increased the longing to be
freed from her power. Amid
discord and strife, a voice was heard from the wilderness, a voice startling
and stern, yet full of hope: “Repent ye; for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
With a new, strange power it moved the people. Prophets had foretold the coming
of Christ as an event far in the future; but here was an announcement that it
was at hand. John's singular appearance carried the minds of his hearers back
to the ancient seers. In his manner and dress he resembled the prophet Elijah. With the spirit and power of
Elijah he denounced the national corruption, and
rebuked the prevailing sins. His words were plain, pointed, and convincing.
Many believed him to be one of the prophets risen from the dead. The whole
nation was stirred. Multitudes flocked to the wilderness...........Many of the
scribes and Pharisees came confessing their sins, and
asking for baptism. They had exalted themselves as better than other men, and had led the people to entertain a high opinion of
their piety; now the guilty secrets of their lives were unveiled. But John was
impressed by the Holy Spirit that many of these men had no real conviction of
sin. They were timeservers. As friends of the prophet, they hoped to find favor
with the coming Prince. And by receiving baptism at the hands of this popular
young teacher, they thought to strengthen their influence with the people. John met them with the scathing
inquiry, 'O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to
come? Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance; and think not to say
within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God
is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.'”